In looking over the last number of the Gardeners' Monthly, I notice that a correspondent asks how to establish himself as a landscape gardener, and your appropriate remarks thereon. With you, I say that one of the greatest wants of the day is, proper men at the head of our public parks in cities and towns. This does not arise because such men are not to be had, but, because, when a position of this kind is open, influence has so much to do with the filling of it. Capability is only a secondary consideration, if thought of at all. Examples are not rare of those who go blundering along, leaving marks that show too plainly that they have never studied the first requisites of what constitute arf effective landscape gardener. Errors are easily made, and their repair is costly. A builder can commence his work and carry it into completion in a short time, but a landscape gardener can only lay the foundation of a work which nature has to complete for him in the after years.

Your correspondent says he advertised repeatedly and failed. I will relate what my advertisement was which placed me in the position I now hold. I may first say that I was born a gardener, for at a very early age my father saw my inclination was in this direction, and had a gardener come and clean a piece of waste land, and lay out a garden for me to spend my leisure hours in. This garden was my great delight. At the age of fourteen I, as most boys do, thought I had had enough of school, and I wanted to become a gardener. My father and his family were against it, not that they objected to the profession, but there was plenty to do at home on the farm, and there was no necessity for my leaving the family circle. I had a cousin, a gardener, and to him I went as an apprentice. As he was a bachelor, and considered crabbed, it was supposed I would not say long with him. I look back with grateful feeling to him, for he spared no trouble to advance me in the art. He being a man who was constantly on the outlook for progressive matter, my five years of apprenticeship were well spent. The custom being to remove to some other place for a change and a variation of experience, I served one year as journeyman, and then was promoted to the whole charge of the place.

On the expiration of that year I took it into my head to try a newer country, greatly to the sorrow of my employer, who wanted me to remain. I sailed for Canada, and on my arrival was employed the same day by an elderly lady, who had a large market garden, and employed many hands. There I spent a year and then I was put in charge of the place. I can never forget the kindness of this lady to me; better she could not have been to her dearest child. Another year passed and, ambitious to make progress faster, I left and tried several places, but was not extra successful, being ignorant of the practical working of them. This period covered several years, during which I kept myself posted in gardening by books etc. It was at this time that my advertisement began. I had bought myself a building lot, and had put up a cottage on the one-half of it; the rest I kept for a garden, in which I could devote my leisure hours. I was then running a store on my own account, and the hours for my garden had to be, for the most part, from four to eight in the morning. Now this little garden was my advertisement, and, in a large part, was the means of my getting my present position. I had it so decorated with flowers etc, that it was a matter of considerable interest to the inhabitants of the city.

If any person asked me where I lived, I told them the street, and they would ask, "Is it where the pretty garden is?" Sunday afternoons I used to be much gratified by seeing the crowds of people that came to look in at it. Among them there once came two ministers of the Crown whom I was acquainted with. In the course of conversation they asked if I understood gardening. I said yes, and related what I have told above of my former life. Well, they said there was to be a good position for a person of that calling at the grounds around our Government Buildings, and asked if I would care to take it, promising their aid if I would. I said I would take it, and thought all was right, but I was told I must get all the influence I could to intercede for me. This was against me, for I had but few to go to. However, I got my papers ready, and here my little garden showed itself again. No one knew me as a gardener, but every one was satisfied I knew what I was about, and I had no trouble whatever to get every name I asked for, which made me renew my exertions. There were many applicants for the position, most of them being men of no knowledge, but who had considerable influence to back them. After a year's waiting in suspense, I got the appointment.

My trials broke out afresh as soon as I commenced the work, which was a most difficult one, owing to a large amount of excavation which had to be made to suit a plan for part of it which had been accepted as one fitted for it. It will give some idea of the extent of the work the first summer, to say that $60,000 were spent on excavation alone, and large sums for three years more. The disappointed applicants for the position attacked me at every move, through the public print; so that I got almost ready to give up the place. I got so disgusted that I went into the chief architect's office and told him so. His answer was that as the Department had found no fault, I should go on. He counselled me to pay no attention to them, but to go on as I was doing and I would come out right. I did so, and the result proved the wisdom of his words. The many eulogiums I now hear about the work are very encouraging to me.

If your correspondent should ever be successful in getting a situation as a landscape gardener, let him pray that it be not a public one, for, if it is, he will have to endure many such unpleasant things as I have related, and, perhaps, a good many more. I may add that my success here has given me two chances to far more lucrative positions, which were very tempting. But when I looked back on the past, and saw the great pleasure I had had since my first years, I said to myself, my cottage and my little garden still remain, and, all things considered, there are associations here that could not be found easily. I have been frequently told I was foolish to devote myself so closely to this work, and that I would never get any thanks for it. I have got thanks a thousand times, until the cup runs over, well repaying me for my exertion. I am glad to see you make public Mr. Miller's affair at Fairmount Park, for this system of exchanging plants is an old established one, and was almost considered obligatory amongst gardeners in Scotland in my day there, and it would be a good thing if it were more practiced than it is.

It is a pleasure to find the charges against Mr. Miller so utterly unfounded.

Supt. Govt. Grounds, Ottawa, Can.